Spanish
Civil Protection and the Success of a Virtual EncounterGloria Bratschi, Specialist in Prevention,
Planning, and Integrated Management of Disaster-Prone Areas
Mendoza, Argentina

Spains General
Civil Protection Directorate and the European Center for Social Research
on Emergency Situations organized a virtual conference on the Theory and
Practice of the Social Sciences in Situations of Risk, Crisis, and Catastrophe.

The Internet-based
conference was held during October, November and the first half of December
2000. The following is the account of one of the participants. It was
written while the conference was still underway.

Thanks to periodic
reports I receive from ISDR, I was able to join the Conference. It has
been more than interesting. Best of all was not having to take airplanes
and all that, not having to lug around suitcases, books, presents, then
finding out you forgot something, etcetera. The only thing that makes
you say, What a shame! is not being able to talk face to face
with the other participants. On the other hand, as in any other virtual
relationship, I can focus more easily on the contents of the message,
rather than on the messenger. I have been able to store each of the lectures,
as well as the messages on the discussion lists. Naturally, my inbox is
now saturated. But Im happy, because Im learning a lot, because
I have linked up with other cultures, other languages.

So far Ive been
able to perceive that the mass media issue generated a lot of reaction,
which allows me to infer that things are not going too well in that area.
More precisely, disaster prevention institutions and the media have not
yet come to coherent arrangements to interact effectively and efficiently
in disaster prevention and response. In other words, agreeing on how to
handle risk management issues instead of interfering with each others
work. Almost all participants have talked about respect for privacy while
dealing with the right to freedom of expression. Sometimes reporters,
when covering a disaster, do not adopt the most ethical attitude, and
show that which is superfluous, which is not news any more. And that leads
to another thread in the discussion: What is news? I always say it is
best to look at how newsworthy events are in essence and then make selections,
look at peoples information needs and their right to know, together
with the right of institutions to manage their own information.

Well, the Conference
is already a success, and it has not yet finished. There was a fascinating
discussion about how to conceptualize risk. It went from the most dense
philosophical speculation to the simplest, most everyday examples. And
there were the participants, eager, with a great desire for linking up
with the others, saying what was pertinent and necessary based on their
own culture and perceptions.

I have collected a
lot of information. I have increased my knowledge and, as always, when
attending an ecumenical meeting such as this one, I have been
enriched by the conviction that there is still a lot we must do for disaster
prevention and risk management.

What has thrilled
me, as well, has been to verify that on this planet, in spite of certain
apocalyptic pronouncements, there are still beautiful people who are full
of solidarity, altruism, and a vocation for service. I think this Conference
has been a true homage to life.